The Alchemists' Guild
"The Alchemists' Guild" is part of the Histories & Lore, a special feature from Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season. It is narrated by Roy Dotrice as Wisdom Hallyne. Synopsis Wisdom Hallyne divulges the history of the Alchemists' Guild's service to House Targaryen from the reign of Maegor the Cruel to Aerys the Mad. Narration Hallyne: Dragons conquered the Seven Kingdoms. But to rule them, the Targaryens needed a less temperamental tool. '' ''When the great King Maegor saw the power of the Alchemists' Guild, he blessed us with his patronage. In those days we commonly transmuted metals and other wonders, but the King was most interested in our mastery of the Substance, which those not our order dub "wild-fire". '' ''A slight misnomer. To the uninitiated, the Substance indeed seems uncontrollable. Water will not extinguish it; nor plate of steel, repel it. Our order alone knows its secrets. In bare stone cells beneath the Guildhall, our acolytes prepare the Substance with utmost care and ancient magic. Apprentices then remove the jars to a secure storage. Overseeing its purity are the Wisdoms such as myself, who are adept in the alchemical mysteries. '' ''Should an acolyte prove unworthy and allow the Substance to ignite, the ceilings are spelled to collapse and fill the room with sand. For once lit, only smothering or starvation will quench the fire. Many years did the Alchemists' Guild served the Targaryens faithfully, until we were beset on all sides by the envious. ''T''he Order of Maesters, who dismissed all learning except their own and the charlatans who hawked green paint, and worse, in our names. After the unfortunate Prince Aerion Targaryen, drunk with wine, boasted that a draft of the Substance would transmute him into a dragon, we lost our royal favor. Then came the wise King Aerys, Second of His Name. I was merely an acolyte when he restored our Guild to its former glory. As had his great forefathers, he appreciated our secret arts; even naming Wisdom Rossart as Hand of the King. Together, they punished his enemies as befits a true Targaryen. '' ''During the War of the Usurper, I heard whispers that King Aerys had engaged our the greatest Wisdoms for an ultimate weapon against his foe. But, sadly, King's Landing must have fallen before it could be used; and many of our Wisdoms disappeared in the sack of the city. Victims of ignorance, and envy! As ever, I'd wager. Yet our order perseveres, Like the Substance, which grows ever more potent as it ages, we perfect our ancient arts in darkness, forgotten by the world. We are masters of the fire but live only to serve. All we need is the right spark. Appearances Characters * King Aegon I Targaryen, the "Conqueror" (not mentioned by name) * Balerion, the "Black Dread" (not mentioned by name) * King Maegor Targaryen, the "Cruel" * Prince Aerion Targaryen, "Brightflame" * King Aerys II Targaryen, the "Mad King" * Wisdom Rossart * Lord Rickard Stark (not mentioned by name) * Brandon Stark (not mentioned by name) * Lord Robert Baratheon (indirectly mentioned) Institutions * Alchemists' Guild * Order of Maesters Locations *King's Landing ** Guildhall of the Alchemists ** Great Hall of the Red Keep Events *War of Conquest *Robert's Rebellion **Sack of King's Landing (mentioned) ***Wildfire plot (indirectly mentioned) Titles *Wisdom *Acolyte *Apprentice Miscellaneous *Dragons *Wildfire pt-br:A Guilda dos Alquimistas (História e Tradição) fr:La Guilde des Alchimistes (Histoires & Traditions) Category:Histories & Lore